Glad to.I recommend the original Quatermass too, if you can find it.It involved some of the same people, and was pivotal in science fiction for the bbc, and probably UK too.Still holds up for me.They've been running it locally.

I just finished Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, again. I understood it more deeply than my first go (as a teen) but I'll still need another re-read in a decade or so before I start to really get it, methinks...

On the other hand, I did just start The Restaurant at the End of Universe (Douglas Adams) for the first time and am having much less trouble with that brand of humor. When an author describes a jerk's slimy smile is eminently "brickable," I think we all understand.

When he lights his streetlamp, it is as if he brought one more star to life, or one flower.When he puts out his lamp, he sends the flower, or the star, to sleep.That is a beautiful occupation.

BoyScoutGirl wrote:I just finished Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, again. I understood it more deeply than my first go (as a teen) but I'll still need another re-read in a decade or so before I start to really get it, methinks...

An excellent book. Satire. The point being: just because we can doesn't mean that we should.

“Two of my favorite things are sitting on my front porch smoking a pipe of sweet hemp, and playing my Hohner harmonica.” - Abraham Lincoln (from a letter written by Lincoln during his presidency to the head of the Hohner Harmonica Company in Germany)

XVI—OPERA SYNOPSESSome Sample Outlines of Grand Opera Plots For Home Study.I—DIE MEISTER-GENOSSENSCHAFTScene: The Forests of Germany.

Time: Antiquity.

Cast

Strudel, God of Rain

Basso

Schmalz, God of Slight Drizzle

Tenor

Immerglück, Goddess of the Six Primary Colors

Soprano

Ludwig Das Eiweiss, the Knight of the Iron Duck

Baritone

The Woodpecker

Soprano

Argument

The basis of "Die Meister-Genossenschaft" is an old legend of Germany which tells how the Whale got his Stomach.[pg 079]ACT IThe Rhine at Low Tide Just Below Weldschnoffen.—Immerglück has grown weary of always sitting on the same rock with the same fishes swimming by every day, and sends for Schwül to suggest something to do. Schwül asks her how she would like to have pass before her all the wonders of the world fashioned by the hand of man. She says, rotten. He then suggests that Ringblattz, son of Pflucht, be made to appear before her and fight a mortal combat with the Iron Duck. This pleases Immerglück and she summons to her the four dwarfs: Hot Water, Cold Water, Cool, and Cloudy. She bids them bring Ringblattz to her. They refuse, because Pflucht has at one time rescued them from being buried alive by acorns, and, in a rage, Immerglück strikes them all dead with a thunderbolt.

ACT 2A Mountain Pass.—Repenting of her deed, Immerglück has sought advice of the giants, Offen and Besitz, and they tell her that she must procure the magic zither which confers upon its owner the power to go to sleep while apparently carrying on a conversation. This magic zither has been hidden for three hundred centuries in an old bureau drawer, [pg 080]guarded by the Iron Duck, and, although many have attempted to rescue it, all have died of a strange ailment just as success was within their grasp.

But Immerglück calls to her side Dampfboot, the tinsmith of the gods, and bids him make for her a tarnhelm or invisible cap which will enable her to talk to people without their understanding a word she says. For a dollar and a half extra Dampfboot throws in a magic ring which renders its wearer insensible. Thus armed, Immerglück starts out for Walhalla, humming to herself.

ACT 3The Forest Before the Iron Duck's Bureau Drawer.—Merglitz, who has up till this time held his peace, now descends from a balloon and demands the release of Betty. It has been the will of Wotan that Merglitz and Betty should meet on earth and hate each other like poison, but Zweiback, the druggist of the gods, has disobeyed and concocted a love-potion which has rendered the young couple very unpleasant company. Wotan, enraged, destroys them with a protracted heat spell.

Encouraged by this sudden turn of affairs, Immerglück comes to earth in a boat drawn by four white [pg 081]Holsteins, and, seated alone on a rock, remembers aloud to herself the days when she was a girl. Pilgrims from Augenblick, on their way to worship at the shrine of Schmürr, hear the sound of reminiscence coming from the rock and stop in their march to sing a hymn of praise for the drying up of the crops. They do not recognize Immerglück, as she has her hair done differently, and think that she is a beggar girl selling pencils.

In the meantime, Ragel, the papercutter of the gods, has fashioned himself a sword on the forge of Schmalz, and has called the weapon "Assistance-in-Emergency." Armed with "Assistance-in-Emergency" he comes to earth, determined to slay the Iron Duck and carry off the beautiful Irma.

But Frimsel overhears the plan and has a drink brewed which is given to Ragel in a golden goblet and which, when drunk, makes him forget his past and causes him to believe that he is Schnorr, the God of Fun. While laboring under this spell, Ragel has a funeral pyre built on the summit of a high mountain and, after lighting it, climbs on top of it with a mandolin which he plays until he is consumed.

"Il Minnestrone" is an allegory of the two sides of a man's nature (good and bad), ending at last in an awfully comical mess with everyone dead.

ACT IA Public Square, Ferrara.—During a peasant festival held to celebrate the sixth consecutive day of rain, Rudolpho, a young nobleman, sees Lilliano, [pg 083]daughter of the village bell-ringer, dancing along throwing artificial roses at herself. He asks of his secretary who the young woman is, and his secretary, in order to confuse Rudolpho and thereby win the hand of his ward, tells him that it is his (Rudolpho's) own mother, disguised for the festival. Rudolpho is astounded. He orders her arrest.

ACT 2Banquet Hall in Gorgio's Palace.—Lilliano has not forgotten Breda, her old nurse, in spite of her troubles, and determines to avenge herself for the many insults she received in her youth by poisoning her (Breda). She therefore invites the old nurse to a banquet and poisons her. Presently a knock is heard. It is Ugolfo. He has come to carry away the body of Michelo and to leave an extra quart of pasteurized. Lilliano tells him that she no longer loves him, at which he goes away, dragging his feet sulkily.

ACT 3In Front of Emilo's House.—Still thinking of the old man's curse, Borsa has an interview with Cleanso, believing him to be the Duke's wife. He tells him things can't go on as they are, and Cleanso stabs him. Just at this moment Betty comes rushing [pg 084]in from school and falls in a faint. Her worst fears have been realized. She has been insulted by Sigmundo, and presently dies of old age. In a fury, Ugolfo rushes out to kill Sigmundo and, as he does so, the dying Rosenblatt rises on one elbow and curses his mother.

"Lucy de Lima," is founded on the well-known story by Boccaccio of the same name and address.[pg 085]ACT IGypsy Camp Near Waterbury.—The gypsies, led by Edith, go singing through the camp on the way to the fair. Following them comes Despard, the gypsy leader, carrying Ethel, whom he has just kidnapped from her father, who had previously just kidnapped her from her mother. Despard places Ethel on the ground and tells Mona, the old hag, to watch over her. Mona nurses a secret grudge against Despard for having once cut off her leg and decides to change Ethel for Nettie, another kidnapped child. Ethel pleads with Mona to let her stay with Despard, for she has fallen in love with him on the ride over. But Mona is obdurate.

ACT 2The Fair.—A crowd of sightseers and villagers is present. Roger appears, looking for Laura. He can not find her. Laura appears, looking for Roger. She can not find him. The gypsy queen approaches Roger and thrusts into his hand the locket stolen from Lord Brym. Roger looks at it and is frozen with astonishment, for it contains the portrait of his mother when she was in high school. He then realizes that Laura must be his sister, and starts out to find her.[pg 086]ACT 3Hall in the Castle.—Lucy is seen surrounded by every luxury, but her heart is sad. She has just been shown a forged letter from Stewart saying that he no longer loves her, and she remembers her old free life in the mountains and longs for another romp with Ravensbane and Wolfshead, her old pair of rompers. The guests begin to assemble for the wedding, each bringing a roast ox. They chide Lucy for not having her dress changed. Just at this moment the gypsy band bursts in and Cleon tells the wedding party that Elsie and not Edith is the child who was stolen from the summer-house, showing the blood-stained derby as proof. At this, Lord Brym repents and gives his blessing on the pair, while the fishermen and their wives celebrate in the courtyard.[pg 087]

Just finished Craig Johnson's newest, The Serpent's Tooth. Walt Longmire, Sheriff of Absaroka County (fictional county, but real Wyoming feel and thinking involved) in another adventure. - I couldn't put it down, and read it in an evening.

Currently reading The Civil War in the West by Earl Hess, a history professor, examining victory and defeat in the area west of the Appalachians and east of the Misissippi River during the American Civil War. - this one is a thorough account of the history and compelling in its analysis. It gives the "why" behind the action as well as the repercussions.

I don't know if it counts as reading, but it is data assimilation: most recent audio book: Around the world in 72 days by Nellie Bly. It is telling about how the rest of the inhabitants of the world were really viewed as other, quaint, or backwards. Bly makes an attempt to get to know people, and see other cultures, but seems limited by her mission to tell a good yarn, and describe curiosities. Some of her insights are really awful to read today. I am wondering what the cold cream coincidence is for early female solo adventures re: Amelia Erhardt? I'm looking forward to learning more about Nellie Bly. I'm also much inspired by her travel kit (size mainly, not so much contents.)next up:

I'm just finishing Ask Dr. Mueller. What a fascinating lady, just wished I could have known her while she was still with us. Although familiar with Water's work she never really hit my radar (and really, who could not be overshadowed by the fabulous Divine?). Richard Hell turned me on to her in his very compelling auto I Dreamed I Was A Very Clean Tramp. What an excellent writer and story teller, his stories are candid and forthright. He's not afraid to call a dick a dick and a pussy a pussy and although it has it's fair share of sexual exploits (and he does name names) it's not at all salacious, but rather, very respectful, however frank.

Next up, Pollan's Cooked: A Natural History Of Transformation . Pollan is one of my favorite contemporary writers, and no, not for The Omnivore's Dilemna , as insightful and influential as that book was, but rather for The Botany Of Desire probably number 3 on my all-time favorite book list. It's one of those books that ends with an epiphany (at least it did for me), in it he tracks the history of four seemingly disparate crops (tulip, potato, apple and pot] and in the end ties them all together in a neat little package with a colorful ribbon and decorative bow. If you haven't read the book and have seen the PBS doc be advised it doesn't do it justice and is a must read IMO. I'm not sure what his obsession is with the number four, but he makes it work, repeatedly.

Not that anyone should care but my number two favorite book is Hardy's Tess of the d''Urbervilles , what can I say? I'm a romantic at heart and putty in the hands of a strong woman. Topping off my list is Conrad's Heart Of Darkness because I like dark, extremely dark.

I'll have to read the Mueller book.Have you read all of Waters' stuff?I love his writing style.

In the strong women area, not high literature or cinema, but after watching the actress talk about the film, had to order Fairgame.Tarantino calls it an australian Straw Dogs.Her interview is in Not Quite Hollywood.Netflix has it, but it wil not come up under Fair Game, only Fairgame.